SAN FRANCISCO â€“AUGUST 17, 2005 â€“ Ubisoft, one of the worldâ€™s largest video game publishers, today proudly unveiled details and the first look at gameplay from Dark Messiahâ„¢ of Might and MagicÂ®, the new first-person action game, at the Games Convention in Germany.

In Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, players will discover a new breed of action game, set in the Might & MagicÂ® universe. Players encounter ferocious combat within a dark and expansive fantasy environment.

â€œDark Messiah of Might & Magic brings a new genre to gaming,â€ says Tony Kee, vice president of marketing at Ubisoft. â€œNever before has the world seen a first-person action game set in a fantasy universe as compelling as the Might & Magic world. Not only will fans of the Might & Magic franchise be amazed by the direction we have gone with the game, but fans of the action genre will be blown away by the power of the Source Engine from Valve used in such an incredible and fantastical setting. Dark Messiah of Might and Magic will become the master of both worlds.â€

Powered by an enhanced version of the award-winning Sourceâ„¢ Engine created by Valve to power its Half-LifeÂ®2 video game, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic will allow players to immerse themselves in an environment that responds and envelops them like never before, thanks to the Source Engineâ€™s exceptional technological enhancements in areas such as character animation, advanced AI, real-world physics and shader-based rendering.

About Dark Messiahâ„¢ of Might and MagicÂ®:
In Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, players will be introduced to the world of Ashan, the new setting for all future Might & Magic games. Ashan is a dark and unforgiving world, scarred by a bloody history and threatened by an apocalyptic prophecy: the Dark Messiah.

Players will embody the young hero Sareth, who has been trained in the arts of magic and war in order to battle the prophetic Dark Messiah. Players will have the choice to become expert warriors, mages or assassins, each with their own cache of devastating weapons and spells to use in battling huge and vicious enemies. Through combat, players will unlock new skills and equipment, advancing Sarethâ€™s experience and improving his performance, battle combos, hits, spells and techniques and setting his course for his destiny.

Key Features:

â€¢ Cutting-edge technology: Experience an enhanced version of the powerful Sourceâ„¢ Engine from Valve, including new jaw-dropping environments and incredible special effects. Discover an innovative first-person view with complete body awareness, realistic movements and physics rendering, making it the first fantasy action game featuring a complete first-person combat system.

â€¢ Never-ending action: Challenge the forces of evil in 12 immense levels and learn to master over 40 weapons and dozens of devastating spells. Engage the enemy in intense melee combat with swords, bows, staffs and daggers; or summon magic powers against the legions of darkness and sneak in the shadows to stalk depraved creatures. Itâ€™s all heart-pumping action, where success in combat will dictate your future.

â€¢ The Might & Magic universeâ€™s darkest side: Explore a secluded region of Ashan populated with fearless orcs, savage goblins, dreadful undeads, elusive trolls, massive dragons and many other creatures that are stunning in both size and depravity. This is a new and darker side of the legendary Might and Magic universe where the forces of evil are stronger and more cunning than ever.

â€¢ A deep and engaging fantasy storyline: Raised by a powerful wizard, the young hero Sareth has been trained in art of magic and war in order to fight the prophecy of the Dark Messiah. But the revelations of his past may alter his course and reveal an unforeseen path to the truth and destiny.

â€¢ A subtle layer of RPG: By gaining experience through fighting, players will be able to unlock new skills or equipment in order to improve general performance (damage, health, speed, resistance) and to enlarge range of actions during fights: cool combos, lethal critical hits, new spells.

â€¢ A revolutionary, addictive multiplayer mode: Enlist with the humans or the undead, and choose among four character classes. Prepare to battle with up to 32 players in several online modes, ranging from simple deathmatch to the revolutionary Evolution mode, which will allow you to gain experience and new equipment across dynamic online campaigns.

Developed by the heroic fantasy experts at Arkane Studios (Arx Fatalis), Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is scheduled on PC worldwide in 2006. For more information, please visit http://www.mightandmagic.com/us/darkmessiah/teaser/.

About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. Ubisoft is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of â‚¬538 million for the 2004â€“2005 fiscal year, an increase of 8 percent over the previous fiscal year at constant exchange rates. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

About Arkane Studios:
Arkane Studios is an independent game development studio created in 1999. Based in Lyon - France, Arkane released its first game, Arx Fatalis, in 2002. With its innovative magic and items combination systems and gorgeous graphics, this critically acclaimed first-person action RPG earned major awards, including a nomination as "Rookie Studio of the Year" at the prestigious GDC Awards Ceremony. Today Arkane Studios builds on this expertise to develop innovative Action-RPGs.

About Valve
Valve is an entertainment software and technology company founded in 1996 and based in Bellevue, Washington. The companyâ€™s debut title, Half-LifeÂ®, has won over 50 Game of the Year Awards and was named "Best PC Game Ever" in the November 1999, October 2001, and April 2005 issues of PC Gamer, the world's best-selling PC games magazine. Valveâ€™s portfolio of entertainment titles also includes Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, and Team FortressÂ®. This portfolio of titles accounts for over 18 million retail units sold worldwide, and Valve games account for over 88% of the PC online action market. In addition to producing best selling entertainment titles, Valve is a developer of leading-edge technologies, such as the Source game engine and Steamâ„¢, an electronic distribution platform for the delivery and management of digital content. Today, Valve is composed of over 80 of the industry's leading artists, programmers, and writers. In the company's nine-year history, it has risen from "unlikely new entry" to industry leader, producing a string of best selling and critically acclaimed PC entertainment products and technologies.